It was one to remember at OU in 2025 with the football team making a run to the College Football Playoff and women's gymnastics winning the NCAA title.
NORMAN — This year was one to remember at OU.
From the Sooners’ football team making a run to the College Football Playoff and the men’s basketball team making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four seasons to its baseball team being selected to the postseason for the fourth consecutive season.
OU’s women’s teams continued to be some of the most successful in the country in 2025, headlined by K.J. Kindler’s women’s gymnastics team’s seventh national championship.
Coach Jennie Baranczyk led the Sooners women’s basketball team to its first Sweet 16 since 2013. Patty Gasso’s softball team made its eighth consecutive Women’s College World Series appearance, but its streak of four straight national titles ended.
This year also saw OU athletic director Joe Castiglione announce his future retirement after 28 years in Norman. It shouldn’t be long into 2026 when the Sooners’ next AD is hired.
The upcoming year will have plenty more in store for OU.
Here are 26 predictions for the Sooners in 2026:
Football
1. John Mateer returns and shines
Following an up-and-down first season in Norman, Mateer will return and improve vastly. OU made a big bet on Mateer in 2025 and he struggled with accuracy and decision-making throughout, but did good things at times — enough to get the Sooners to the first round of the CFP. Improved health and playmakers on offense should help him immensely next season.
2. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle improves in second season
Let’s face it, OU’s offense wasn’t very good this past season. But I think Arbuckle, in his second season at the helm of the offense, will capitalize on a lot of the lessons he learned in Year 1. After all, he’s one of the youngest coordinators in the country at 30 years old and faced some of the nation’s best defenses this season. If OU can add more dynamic playmakers, that should help Arbuckle.
3. Sooners attack transfer portal for playmakers
I’ve already mentioned it in my first two predictions, but OU must add playmakers in the transfer portal this offseason. Priority No. 1: wide receiver. Despite Mateer and Arbuckle’s shortcomings, the Sooners didn’t boast a high-level receiver compared to other SEC programs who had multiple. Priority No. 2: tight end. Another constant theme with other successful SEC teams in 2025 was the amount of elite tight ends on other teams. OU is well past due for a productive tight end.
4. Sooners shake up offensive staff
I predict some offensive staff changes in order to help OU improve next season. The Sooners struggled to execute as a unit all season and lacked development at a few individual positions. I think Arbuckle will be given the chance, in coordination with coach Brent Venables and the front office, to hire his own staff.
5. OU gets back to College Football Playoff
Venables said following the Sooners’ first-round CFP loss to Alabama that he truly believes the program’s best days are ahead. I agree. If OU can attack the areas of disappointment we’ve already addressed here, as well as re-sign a bunch of its contributors from this season, I think the Sooners can get back to the College Football Playoff.
6. Tate Sandell returns after record-setting season
I think the Lou Groza Award winner will want another season to flesh out his resume for the NFL Draft. You could argue he’d be better positioned to take advantage of his 2025 season and cash in, but a second season like the one he just put together would do wonders for his stock. Sandell’s return would be great news for OU.
7. Front office signs impressive first full transfer portal class
By the time Jim Nagy was hired and his front office staff was implemented, last season’s OU transfer portal class was mostly set. I’m intrigued to see what Nagy’s staff can put together after a full season of scouting and a full offseason to build a roster.
8. Jim Nagy signs top-five 2027 high school recruiting class
Similarly to the prediction above, by the time Nagy and his staff arrived, the Sooners’ coaching staff had built relationships with their 2026 high school recruiting class for multiple years. We’re already seeing Nagy and his staff’s impact as OU’s 2027 class currently ranks second nationally, per the recruiting site Rivals, just behind No. 1 Texas Tech.
9. Young offensive line comes into its own
The future is bright on the Sooners’ offensive line. For the last several games of OU’s CFP run, it was starting two true freshmen (Michael Fasusi and Ryan Fodje) and a redshirt freshman (Eddy Pierre-Louis) on the offensive line. “We better take care of them,” Venables said following the Sooners’ win over Tennessee. Those three, along with center Jake Maikkula’s continued development, should do wonders for OU’s offense.
10. Peyton Bowen repeats as All-SEC player
In 2025, Bowen registered 47 tackles, a tackle for loss and two interceptions in his All-SEC Second Team season. The Sooners’ safety could go to the NFL and be a mid- or late-round draft pick, but I’m predicting he’ll return and aim to put together a second consecutive fully healthy season.
11. Taylor Wein leads Sooners in sacks again
Wein burst onto the scene this season with 39 tackles and a team-leading seven sacks. With R Mason Thomas gone to the NFL, Wein will be the leader of defensive end coach Miguel Chavis’ unit. Wein will only continue to develop and I’m predicting another monster season for Wein.
12. OU wins more games next season
This is perhaps the boldest take on this list. Whether purely in the regular season or extending into the CFP, I think OU will win more games next season. The Sooners’ schedule doesn’t get any easier — with road trips to Michigan and Georgia and home games against Ole Miss and Texas A&M — but if they add some pieces on offense and try to replace some of the losses at linebacker, I think they have a chance to be really good next season.
13. Sooners beat Texas after two straight losses
Venables is 1-3 against the Longhorns. He’s lost two consecutive Red River Rivalry games since 2023’s classic finish — the only edition where he had his quarterback who started the season as the starter or QB1 fully healthy. I think Venables will get that second win next season.
14. OU has either a WR with 1,000-yard receiving season or RB with a 1,000-yard rushing season
The Sooners should take big swings at some of the best receivers in the transfer portal. OU badly needs a playmaker that can record a 1,000-yard type of season or an explosive running back who can help carry the load. Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson should be back for the Sooners and healthier than this past season.
Athletic department
15. Sooners hire out-of-the-box AD
OU is in the thick of its search for the program’s next athletic director. Former AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson has spoken to several out-of-the-box candidates and is focused on finding someone with business acumen who understands media and intellectual property rights.
Men’s basketball
16. Nijel Pack finishes career with 400 3-pointers made
Pack, a Sooners guard who is in his sixth season of college basketball, ranks second in active career 3-pointers made. One of the best deep threat shooters in the country, if he keeps up his pace throughout conference play, he should easily cross the 400 mark for his career.
17. OU narrowly misses NCAA Tournament
This one is bold given how early it still is, but the Sooners’ conference schedule is tough and they haven’t shown consistency early this season. Coach Porter Moser’s group, mostly made up of transfers, is seemingly beginning to find its rhythm with one another. But I’m predicting OU to be one of the first four teams omitted from the field, ramping the pressure back up on Moser, who will enter Year 6 next season.
Baseball
18. Skip Johnson leads Sooners to fifth straight NCAA Tournament
Johnson has the OU baseball program in a great spot, having been a consistent presence in the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners’ next step is making it past the first weekend again and Johnson’s squad — made up of solid returners and promising transfers — could certainly do that. But, as of now, I’m simply picking it to punch its ticket back to the postseason.
19. Kyle Branch makes an All-SEC team
Following an All-SEC Freshman Team campaign, I’m predicting Branch to take another leap next season. He hit .288 with 33 RBIs and 14 stolen bases last season in his first season and should only improve.
Women’s basketball
20. OU advances to Elite Eight
I’m calling it, give me the Sooners to advance to its first Elite Eight since 2010. Baranczyk has a squad led by veterans Raegan Beers, Sahara Williams and Payton Verhulst. True freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez is electric and provides just enough spark to get past the Sweet 16.
21. Aaliyah Chavez wins SEC Freshman of the Year
This one might not be that bold, but Chavez is well on her way to this award. She’s already been named SEC Freshman of the Week four teams, the most in the league, and is beginning to find her stride in her first collegiate season.
Softball
22. Sooners get back to WCWS
Probably not a bold prediction either, but barring a disaster, OU will be back in the Women’s College World Series. The Sooners return hitters Gabbie Garcia, Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering and added transfer pitchers Sydney Berzon and Miali Guachino.
23. Sydney Berzon, Miali Guachino lead OU’s pitching staff
Gasso went out and added two of the most productive transfer pitchers in the SEC. Berzon was a three-time NFCA All-Region First Team and All-SEC selection at LSU, while Guachino helped Ole MIss to its first WCWS and was named NFCA National Freshman of the Year. I predict both will be All-SEC selections.
24. Ella Parker’s numbers see a jump
Ella Parker has battled through injuries in her first two collegiate seasons, but her numbers didn’t dip, despite playing seven less games, this past season. I expect Parker to have a career year in 2026.
Women’s gymnastics
25. OU women’s gym captures eighth national title
I predict the reigning champions will repeat. The Sooners received 39 first place votes for 1,960 points to claim the top spot in the coaches poll. LSU, UCLA and Utah should give OU a run for its money, but I think K.J. Kindler’s squad that returns Faith Torrez, Addison Fatta, Elle Mueller and Lily Pederson is too deep. The Sooners also brought in the No. 1 signing class in the nation.
- Faith Torrez wins all-around national title
Following last season’s second-place finish, I’m predicting Faith Torrez to capture the All-Around national title. Torrez was the 2025 South Central Region Gymnast of the Year and was named an NCAA first-team All-American on beam, floor and all-around last season.
Colton Sulley covers the Oklahoma Sooners for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How will Oklahoma Sooners fare in 2026? Here are 26 bold predictions
Category: General Sports
